Various mechanical egg processing systems are used to process avian eggs within a poultry hatchery facility. Such mechanical egg processing systems may include, for example, a transfer system for transferring eggs from a tray associated with a setter incubator (commonly referred to as a “flat”) to a container associated with a hatcher incubator (commonly referred to as a “hatching basket”). In other instances, an example of such mechanical egg processing systems may include an egg removal system for removing certain eggs from the flats. In some instances, such mechanical egg processing systems may combine features from the transfer system and the egg removal system. Still another example of such mechanical egg processing systems may include an in ovo injection system for injecting a treatment substance, such as a vaccine, into the eggs. Finally, another example of such mechanical egg processing systems may include a sampling system for removing a sample material from the eggs for analysis.
Typically, the eggs enter any one of these mechanical egg processing systems in the flats, which are transported beneath a head having a plurality of processing devices attached thereto. The processing devices engage the eggs for processing when the head is lowered proximate to the eggs. The head usually descends or ascends using pneumatically operated lift systems. Unfortunately, these types of lifting systems may not provide optimal performance. For example, the pneumatic systems may cause binding or otherwise cause the head to not be level as it descends. Moreover, these types of lifting systems do not allow for accurately controlled motion of the head, wherein speed of motion cannot be controlled to achieve optimal performance. Additionally, the pneumatic lift cylinder of the system requires large amounts of high pressure air when scaled up to a large head size, which is compounded when several modules require head movement at the same time, which may often be the case with the egg processing equipment mentioned above. Finally, pneumatic cylinders do not give multiple stop positions without adding increased cost.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an egg processing apparatus having a lift system capable of improving control and motion of a head having a plurality of egg processing devices. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide an associated method that would facilitate improved control and motion of a head of an egg processing apparatus.